Office Dwellings
by RR-Roza-Robertson
Summary: Three years is a long time for emotions to change or emotions to dwell...who in the office has changed and who has not?


**This is Mai x Lin pairing, but mainly Naru x Mai friendship. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt! The idea for this story is also a prompt given to me, but the writing is mine! :D**

**I hope you enjoy, and R & R if you could too, please! **

()()()()()()

Mai sighed as she sat in the office, glancing down at the paper work she didn't want to complete. Three years may have passed before Naru and Lin-san came back, but she hadn't changed much. Or, at least, not when it came to her work ethic.

Mai had found it hard to get over Naru over the years, but slowly she had managed to. She had found it harder to get used to living without them, not necessarily because of her feelings, but because she had lost two close friends.

Naru's leaving had become a mess, sometimes she regret having told Naru her feelings, thought that it might have been easier now if she hadn't. She was kind of glad in the change of their relationships since they came back though. It seemed that Naru was happy to be more open, not completely, but a tad bit more than before.

"Mai, are you sleeping?" Mai looked up at Lin-san, opening her eyes and blushing.

"No, sorry, Lin-san, just bored," he nodded in understanding and continued his way to speak to Naru.

"Mai, tea, please!" Naru called from his room. That's right; Naru was actually using manners now. For some odd reason it was only to her but she guessed that the others still annoyed him too much for him to be nice. Mai tended to do what Naru said lately, so he really had no need to constantly insult her.

"Coming!" Mai replied, thankful for the break in paper work. Naru and Lin-san had come back about a month ago and things were still slow going, but slowly business was picking up again.

"Oh, here, Naru," Mai said, shocked to see Naru sitting on the couches.

"Thank you," he nodded. Mai smiled brightly at him, unbeknownst to her, the young man's cheeks heated slightly.

Naru had been an idiot when he left, but how was he supposed to react to her? Not only had he thought that she'd loved his brother he was set to leave to England for who knows how long; it never would've worked. In fact, he never really thought that he'd come back at all.

"Mai, get to work on those papers, I need them by the end of the day," Naru ordered and Mai sighed but nodded.

"Yes, sir," she saluted sarcastically. She still wasn't used to the fact that he never insulted her for that anymore; instead he'd shake his head and continue drinking his tea.

It was so obvious to Naru when he got back that Mai had grown up. Maybe not in her little quirks, they were still very much there, but physically and mentally she had. Her hair had grown and her hips had widened, she got infinitesimally taller and was mentally stronger than ever before.

Naru wasn't the only one that her growth had come apparent to. Lin-san was never as silent as the others had believed; he was just focused on his work. Mai had understood that and never really took his silence to heart anymore; instead she kind of admired him.

After the meeting with the gang Mai quickly got back to work, trying as hard as she could to concentrate but not being able to.

"Move over," Naru said, pulling a chair up beside her.

"What?" Mai asked in shock. Naru smiled at her, that one smile that used to make her melt.

"Move over; you're obviously not focused and I need them done by tonight so I'll help," Mai was still in shock but did as he said, moving her seat over for him to fit. Naru almost felt his heart stutter, their legs pressed side by side tightly, and their hands brushing occasionally.

Naru almost hated the fact that Mai seemed unaffected by their proximity. He knew that three years was a long time, he knew that it was more than likely that she had gotten over him long ago, but he wished that she hadn't. No matter how selfish of him that was.

"Mai, would you like to go to dinner with me?" Mai paused in shock, staring over at Naru. For once since she met him he almost looked…nervous. He was still staring at the papers, but his hands had stopped moving and there was a faint blush on his cheeks.

It was so abrupt that Mai took a moment to react.

"Naru, I, I don't know what to say…" Mai trailed off, looking down as well.

"You don't have to…I get it," he sighed. Mai bit her lip.

"I'll go make some tea," Mai said quietly as she stood, patting his shoulder as she did.

When she left Naru groaned quietly, rocking back and dragging his hands over his face, 'if that hadn't been embarrassing I don't know what is,' he thought aggravated. He knew that there was only a tiny chance of her still liking him and, now, he guessed that he knew her answer.

"Naru, would you like something to eat?" Mai called, almost hesitantly, from the kitchen. He sighed, kind of glad that she was acting like he hadn't just asked her out, yet also kind of upset. Had he meant so little that she wasn't even affected by it?

"Yes, please!" he called back, wanting as much time alone as he could spare.

As he stared forward he caught site of a little black leather book, peeking out from underneath a piece of paper. He bit his lip, if anyone were to ask he'd just blame his scientist curiosity on it.

Slipping open the little black book to where the red ribbon marked it, he slowly began to read. His eyes widened with each sentence, glancing frantically up at where Mai worked in the kitchen, to his guardians door.

Naru stared at the page, no longer reading, just staring. His mind spun, thoughts moving quickly in shock. He knew it was very likely that she had liked somebody else, but _him_? Naru wasn't sure what he felt. Betrayed maybe, perhaps a little bit jealous.

Were his hands shaking? Was this…guilt he suddenly felt? For what? Reading her diary? Knowing the truth?

Naru jolted as he heard Mai's footsteps walking around in the kitchen, dropping the Diary before he cursed to himself, snapping it shut and placing it back underneath the paper as quick as he could. His heart thrummed, just able to draw his hands back as Mai walked into the room. Naru was sure that he was now sweating; he was even struggling to breathe a little bit.

Why the hell did he read that?

"Here, Naru," Mai smiled, passing him the sandwich and tea. Naru smiled back before glancing at the floor for a moment.

"Mai?" he hesitated.

"Yes, Naru?" she asked back, quietly looking up from nibbling at her sandwich.

"…If you like him, you should tell him," Naru vaguely said. Mai's face suddenly turned red and he almost chuckled.

"I—I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered, looking anywhere but into his eyes.

"Sure you do, and besides, I think that you both deserve happiness. Now, I'll be in my office so don't mind me," he smiled, standing up and heading to his room.

"Hey, Naru?" he turned around, balancing the plate on his arm with the tea as he opened the door.

"Yeah?"

Mai bit her lip "Give Masako a go, will you? She's liked you for years, and she's changed from back then. You might actually have fun with her, you never know," Mai shrugged and Naru smiled at her.

"Maybe I will." He said vaguely before walking into his office.

()()()()()()

Meanwhile Mai stood, smoothing down her shirt as she knocked on the guardian's door.

"Come in," was the quiet reply. Mai smiled slightly as she entered, seeing Lin-san relaxing back. He had to wait for Naru to finish; even if they didn't live together anymore he was still Naru's ride.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your reading," Mai fidgeted, much to the amusement of the older Chinese man.

"You're not interrupting anything, come in. Was there something you needed?" Mai felt like backing out but she knew that she shouldn't. If Naru could get the courage to ask her, then she should have the courage to ask him.

Mai sucked in a deep breath; staring firmly into Lin-san's eyes "I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner with me some night…" she trailed off, her cheeks heating up brightly.

Lin-san was shocked. He'd always thought that she'd liked Naru, after all she had confessed to him the day that they left. Despite the fact that she was younger than him and maybe a bit brighter too, he had always been interested in the girl. She was the one person that he found himself confused by, and if anything he'd always liked a challenge.

"I mean, you don't have to, it's just, um, I suppose I like you, and um, yeah," she stuttered, nerves taking over. Lin-san smiled at her, standing up and walking closer, grabbing his coat off the hanger.

"Why not tonight?" Mai's eyes widened considerably, she never thought that he'd actually agree.

"Really?" she asked, maybe too hopeful. Lin-san chuckled and nodded.

"I'm hungry and I bet you are too, Naru doesn't actually need those papers done until lunch tomorrow, so he has no excuse," Lin-san explained, walking out of the office and grabbing Mai's coat off the hook, handing it to her.

"Sure, I'll go tell him," she said brightly.

Before she could turn around all the way Lin-san pulled her back, she gasped, shocked as she met his warm chest, looking up at him curiously.

He smirked, "Oh and I like you, too."


End file.
